I’m pretty sure I’ve tried 98% of the items at Trader Joe’s. I mean, it is just too convenient. It is across from the yoga/spinning studio that I belong to. There are three of them within walking distance of our apartment. And they are absolutely everywhere here in Los Angeles.

So I’ve been doing most of my shopping there and trying everything along the way. I’m working on a Best Of Trader Joe’s post, but I’m struggling with how to organize it – there are so many great things! Anyway, one of our favorite salads is the Chopped Field Salad with Chicken – it has flavorful currants, chewy couscous and the sweet basil dressing – oh, that dressing! I set out to recreate the favorite and while I made a few changes, the flavors are very similar. This chicken field salad has all of the “requirements” for an entree salad, so it’s the perfect salad for lunch or dinner –  full of protein, fiber and flavor!

In the short three weeks that Crooked Pint Ale House was open and we were still in Minneapolis, I managed to order the Rainbow Chopped Salad three times. It was clearly super tasty and good enough to resist ordering their delicious burgers! That should say a lot for a salad. And for me.

So I had plans to recreate it right away and as we drove through South Dakota and Wyoming, I would glance at that salad on my list – just anxious to get back into the kitchen and eat something full of vegetables.

A few weeks later, and the Taster and I are sitting at our table with this beautiful salad (on chilled plates thank you!) in front of us.

And it was perfect.

The nutrition stats are pretty good too, although it is a tad low on protein for me.  Next time we’ll try it with some grilled chicken to really make it a full meal.

If you’ve been looking for a new salad, or something healthy to bring to Thanksgiving (the Taster thought it would be perfect on turkey day), go make this. You might even choose it over stuffing – I know I would.